Managua (Agenzia Fides) - The Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua (CEN) has expressed its approval regarding the immigration regulations issued by the Interior Ministry to regulate entry into the country of those who claim religious or charitable purposes. The news was released after Tuesday’s meeting, September 6 with government representatives, who explained the reasons of the rules, obtaining the Bishops’ support.
"We had doubts because there were first a series of mechanisms to overcome to facilitate the entry, and this was a very long process, so we asked for a meeting with officials in which they explained that the procedure was established for security reasons. Now we have been told that it is only necessary to send a letter regarding the missionaries (who must enter the country) to facilitate the request rapidly and without hindrance", said the Secretary of CEN, His Exc. Mgr. Jorge Solorzano, Bishop of Granada, in note sent to Fides.
"In the meeting - said the Bishop -, the police gave us some examples of different cases, in which US citizens who pretend to be pastors of evangelical churches or members of committees, including NGOs arrive, but who are sometimes reported by the International Police as child traffickers or pedophiles".
During the meeting the government was represented by Luis Canas, Deputy Minister of the Interior; General Commissioner Francisco Diaz, deputy director of the National Police; Fidel Moreno, General Secretary of the mayor of Managua; and Denis Moncada Colindres, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic. In addition to Mgr. Solorzano, Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes; His Exc. Mgr. Carlos Herrera, Bishop of Jinotega; and the Bishops of the Apostolic Vicariate of Bluefields, Mgr. Pablo Schmitz and David Zewick were also present. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 08/09/2016)